Mommy’s How To Guide: Surviving Car Rides With Kids

We’ve all been there, amigas:

We are driving with our kids in the car and a tantrum breaks out while we are doing 90 km on the highway. It is stressful beyond words to go through such an experience for both mom and kiddos. We don’t exactly know what’s going on in the backseat nor can we turn around and provide help since we are behind the wheel. All we hear is crying and screaming, and trying to reason with the kids at this moment might not get us anywhere. We either have to wait it out and let the tantrum pass or pull over and assess the situation. Sometimes, neither of the two solutions are possible. The important thing is to keep the little ones entertained while you are all in the car driving to your destination.

Here’s how to survive car rides, short or long, with kids and turn them into fun and educational experiences:

Tip #1: Car Music

Choosing the right type of car music is essential in order to have a fun journey. Keep a collection of CDs in your car which you know your children love to sing-along to. Give each other parts and characters. Each family member sings along to the songs from the character they’ve chosen in each song. This turns car rides into karaoke on wheels! Singing is scientifically proven to help release the happy hormones. Go ahead, get happy, start singing.

If you’ve forgotten to bring along CDs check out some cool radio stations. Opt for jazz and classical music – these are calming. Also search for stations in different languages. Kids love hearing different languages and soak them up like sponges. Mandarin and Spanish are two of the top five spoken languages in the world right now, so why not have a free language lesson while driving to get the groceries?! Try it GFs!

Tip #2: Car Games

Game 1.Count the colourful cars: Red, yellow, pink, etc. (all colours except the standard ones: black, grey, blue, white). Let the kids decide which colour they’ll be on the look-out for. Whoever spots the first ten cars is the winner. Want a challenge? Kick it up a notch and spot twenty cars instead of ten. If your kids are toddlers they’ll enjoy counting through the teen numbers right up to twenty and feel proud of themselves for their accomplishment!

Game 2.Create a story: Play this game by initiating someone to begin telling a story. The family member who begins the story-telling first can stop at any time, allowing the next cutie to continue the story, and so on and so on. This is a great imaginary game that can turn into absolute laughter. It’s amazing to hear the stories that children can come up with. It’s very entertaining indeed! The car games are endless. Make them up, be creative and give them a go!

Tip #3: Car Talk

Simply converse during your car rides with your family. Talk about anything. Ask the little ones questions. Allow the kids to express themselves. The point is to create a relaxing atmosphere, especially during longer car rides. Everyone can become tired and exhausted from sitting in one place while being buckled up. So mommy, remain calm and have a conversation with your family. It’s that simple.

Tip #4: Watch Your Road Rage, GF *Beep, Beep*

If we become stressed out while on the road, our passengers become stressed and anxious too. Be cautious while behind the wheel. The last thing we want to do is to teach our children aggression and profanity. Remain calm. If you’re driving during rush hour, accept the circumstances – there’s only so much we can do when we are not in control. Let go of anger. If you know you’re going someplace farther than usual, allow yourself extra time to get there by leaving your home earlier. This way, if you’re stuck in traffic, you know you still have time to arrive at your destination on time since you left earlier.

Tip #5: Frequent Stops

If you’re on a five hour road trip frequent, stops are a necessity: stretching breaks, snacking, coffee/tea, and washroom breaks all require attention. The stops can be as short as ten minutes, but without them, the little darlings can become irritated. Add extra water bottles to your journey in order to stay hydrated and fresh. Dehydration can cause headaches, among other things. Prevent dehydration by packing an extra 1L water bottle. This of course means frequent bathroom stops, which provides for a nice stretch and a snack! Happy kids means happy mommy and happy car rides.

Tip #6: Above All, Safety First

Ensure the kids’ car seats are up to date. Double check that their belts are on. Winter calls for winter tires. Leave a pair of shades in the car for those super sunny days when the sun faces us while driving. All phone activities can wait – if it’s an emergency, pull over and use your phone. Eating can be dangerous while driving, choose to do it on your next pit stop. Make sure, GF, you are well rested before you step behind the wheel. When the gas light appears – pull over and fill up the tank – there’s no need to risk being stuck in the middle of a major intersection just because you thought you had enough gas to make it home! Wear comfortable clothes and also dress your children in comfortable gear. And of course, drive within the speed limit.

Whether you’re buckling up to grocery shop or to drive to Disney World, consider these tips for smooth sailing and the car rides with kids will turn from survival to fun.